The present invention relates to fluid-operated tools for tightening or loosening threaded connectors.
Fluid-operated tools are well known and widely used in industry. When a space to apply the tool is narrow, limited clearance fluid-operated tools are utilized. These tools have links which carry an engaging element engaging with a threaded connector and which are connected with the tool housing to be turned by a drive arranged in the housing. In order to obtain the desired torque accuracy during tightening and loosening, it is important that the housing pivots around an axis of the engaging element or the threaded connector engaged by it. For this purpose, the housing in the known tools is provided with side plates, and the link which usually includes two drive plates and a ratchet pivotable in them, is sandwiched between the side plates. The side plates can be either a part of the housing or can be steadily connected to the housing. In this construction the total thickness of the side plates, the drive plates and the ratchet is quite substantial, and in many applications the space required above a nut threaded on a bolt or a stud is less than this thickness. Therefore, the thusly designed fluid-operated tools cannot enter such spaces and cannot operate in these conditions.